Conduit joint forming means



Nov. 5, 1935. I H, E MUCHNIC 2,UZU,156

CONDUIT JOINT FORMING MEANS Original Filed Jan. 21, 1933 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 PATENT or ieE CONDUIT JOINT FORMING MEANS Henry E. Muchnic, Atchison, Kans., assignor to The Locomotive Finished Material Company,

Atchison, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Original application January 21, 1933, Serial No. 652,852, now Patent No. 1,966,039, dated July 10, 1934. Divided and this application January 15, 1934, Serial No. 706,687

1 Claim. (01. 285-20) My present application refers to subject matter divided out of my pending application Serial Number 652,852, filed January 21, 1933, now Patw cut No. 1,966,039, July 10, 1934.

5 The invention relates to means especially adapted to the return bends employed in oil stills for producing pressure resisting joints; although it is apparent that the means may be employed between other conduit sections.

10 The invention has for its'object the provision of means whereby the joints between conduit and return bend sections may be readily effected and adapted to withstand the comparatively high pressures encountered, while at the same time en- 15 abling a disjoining of the conduit sections to be easily made when desired.

The invention involves, in conjunction with the adjacent flanged (whether continuous or interrupted) ends of two conduit sections, a pair of 20 elementsconsisting of conduit encircling and contractible means (whether of a plurality or a pair of hingedly or otherwise connected pieces) and regulable contracting and pressure producing means; with the relation between the contractible 25 means and the latter means such that the pressure exerted by the latter means on the free or spaced ends of the contractible or conduit encircling means will be in a somewhat tangential V manner and hence more effectively transmitted to the encircling means; while at the same time assuring an operative relation between the separate means, regardless of the contracted condition of the encircling means, to be maintained;

The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:-'-

Figure 1 shows my invention applied to a return bend in conjunction with portions of two pipe sections; one of the pipe sections, adjacent portion of the return bend and joint forming means being in'section; the other end of the return bend and pipe section being in elevation and a portion of the joint forming means at that end 45 of thebend partially broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end of a conduit section illustrating the type of flange employed in the exemplification disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional elevation, similar to Figure 2, illustrating a modified form of 55 two piece encircling means, wherein the joint forming means and the conduit sections are provided with interrupted flanges.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of an end of a conduit provided with the interrupted type of flange of Figure 4. 5

The particular exemplifications ofthe invention are especially adapted for use in connection with what are known as stream line return bends as employed in oil stills where the oil under pressure is made to flow through the various banks of tubes connected by the return bends. In Figure l, the ends of two conduit sections are shown at it), Hi, and the ends each provided with an annular flange ll whose lower side is tapered as shown at l2 in Figure 1, namely toward the outer perimeter. The ends of the return bend l3 are likewise provided with corresponding tapered flangesri i; the flanges H and M of the conduit sections and of the return bend in this instance being of the annular or continuous type.

V Cooperating with the flanges ii and I4 is a clamp member 55 consisting of similar sections hingedly connected together at I6, at one of the ends of the sections, while the other ends of the sections are each provided with substantially similar outwardly disposed enlarged ends or lugs as shown at I! and H3.

The outer side of end or lug l8 and preferably adjacent itsbase, namely at the outer perimeter of the clamp member i5, is curved inwardly to provide a groove l9; while the-outer side of lug I I is provided with a socket as at 2B; and the width of the clamp member 15, adjacent the lug or end I1, is somewhat reduced or cut away as shown at 2| in Figure 2, for reception of one end of the clamp contracting means or element 22.

The inner perimeters of the clamp members are 7 provided with transversely spaced apart flanges whose opposing faces are also tapered; the flanges being spaced apart sufliciently to receive the flanges ofthe bend section l3 and the conduit section l0 therebetween, as clearly shown at the left in Figure 1.

ends I 1 and I8.

The groove [9 in the side of lug or end l 8 is adapted to receive an enlargement or lip 23 formed on the end 24 of'element 22; the construction providing an interlocked relation between element 22 and the end l8 of clamp memher IS. The side wall of lug or end 11, and the inner surface of end 25 of element 22 are preferably substantially straight, as shown in Figure 2; the length of the socket in member 22 being somewhat longer than the combined width of lugs I1 and 18 when the clamp member I5 approximates closed or pipe clamping condition.

The socket 229 in lug or end I1 is intended to receive the end of compression bolt 26 which is threaded through a tapped opening extending lengthwise of the enlarged end or boss 25.

The width of element 22 is greater than that of lugs 11 and I8, thus permitting the side walls 21, 21 to lap the upper and lower sides of the lugs l1, I8, as shown in Figure 1. The element 22, by reason of its construction, not only possesses considerable strength, but also prevents the element 22 from extending too far outwardly from the clamp member l5 and hence is especially adapted for use on oil still return bend installations, where the question of space is'often quite an item. The construction of element 22 enables it to encompass both lugs l1 and I8 in close relation with the side of the clamp member l5, while also holding the pressure inducing portions 23 and 25 in tangential relation with the respective halves or portions of the encircling member [5 and hence causes the lip 23 and the compression member 26 to exert pressure in more or less clamp encircling or tangential directions which are not in direct opposition.

In Figure 4, I show application of my improved contracting means to a multiple or two piece type of clamp member 21, which also differs from the member H5 in that the flanges on the inner perimeter are of the interrupted type. That is to say, the inner perimeter of the member 21 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart flange portions 28, the flange portions being circumferentially spaced apart to permit passage of the conduit and bend section flange portions, shown in Figure 5 at 29, therebetween, while the interrupted flanges on the inner perimeter of member 21 are vertically spaced apart to receive the flanges of two conduit sections therebetween, The portions 28 on their opposing faces are also tapered to coact with the tapered interrupted flange 29 of the conduit section, so as to force the bend and conduit sections into fluid-tight relation when the encircling elements are contracted or compressed through the tangentially applied pressure exerted by the lip I9 and the compression screw 26 of the element 22 on the enlarged ends or lugs of the clamp element IE or 21.

It is apparent that the interrupted flange type of encircling clamp member need not be of two pieces, as shown in Figure 4, but may be of separate pieces hingedly secured together, as shown in Figure 2.

The interrupted flange method permits the clamp member to be slipped onto the end of a conduit and then when the ends of two conduit sections are aligned, the clamp member may be readily put into pressure exerting position by passing the flange portions of the conduits through the spaces between the flange portions 28 of the encircling member and then giving the 5 encircling member a slight rotation.

The .ends of the encircling element 21, like element 15, are provided with enlargements or lugs similar to lugs 11 and E8 of Figure 2.

That is to say, one end of each member or 10 piece of element 21 has an enlargement or lug 11 provided with a pressure means receiving pocket 20, while the other end of each piece or member has an enlargement or lug l8 provided with the lip or lug receiving socket 155. In order 15 that the two members or pieces of element 21 may be interchangeable, the two pieces are made as shown and described, and therefore the contracting means 22 at opposite sides of the conduit are reversed as shown;

With the constructions shown, the contracting pressure exerted on the ends of the members of the encircling means will be in a somewhat tangential direction; the pressure exerted by the lip 23 not being in direct opposition to the pressure 25 exerted by the compression members 26, and hence a more effective joint forming means provided.

The construction described is believed to be the simplest and best embodiment of my invention which I have described in terms employed merely for description and not as terms of limitation as structural modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

In joint forming means of the character described involving conduit sections provided at their ends with circumferentially disposed tapered flanges; a distensible encircling element having tapered flanges arranged axially apart to receive the flanges of two conduit sections therebetween, the ends of the element having outwardly disposed enlargements socketed on the outer sides; and an arcuate member curved 5 transversely and longitudinally to conform with the curvature of the encircling element and the conduit sections socketed on the concaved side intermediate of the ends to receive the enlargements of both ends of the encircling element, one end of the arcuate member on the socketed side having a lip disposed inwardly toward the opposite end of the member and adapted to fit the socket in one of said enlargements while the other end of the arcuate member has a compression member disposed therethrough in a direction lengthwise of the'member and adapted to flt into the socket of the other ofsaid enlargements, said lip and said compression member being disposed in converging directions whereby the 00 closing force of the encircling element acts in more than one tangential direction.

HENRY E. MUCHNIC. 

